Compare towns
Knox vs Unity vs Brooks vs Thorndike
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Knox | Unity | Brooks | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,208 |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Brooks and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Knox and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.